Isarn Thai Soul Kitchen {Eating Out: Seattle}

There are some meals that you can never forget – it might be the people you were with, the occasion, the decor, the service, or the unique flavors presented. I had the best Thai food of my personal culinary flavor history at Isarn Thai Soul Kitchen in Kirkland, WA. It is not your typical Thai food experience. If I lived closer, I would definitely be ordering from this hidden gem every week. If you’re local to Seattle and love Thai food, you must try out this flavorful, fresh, colorful and delicious eatery.

The open space, light woods for the tables, and simple but peaceful atmosphere welcomes guests.

Even the menu cover is made of carved wood – I can’t get over how beautiful that simple touch is.

A short walk from the Marina Park, Isarn Thai Soul Kitchen easily fits within a lunch followed by walk by the water in a cute neighborhood.

On a recent trip to celebrate the wedding of two of our friends, our friends and hosts took us to Isarn Thai Soul Kitchen for lunch in Kirkland, WA. There is also another location in Lynnwood, WA. In Boston, we have decent Thai food. In fact, when it comes to food from asian cuisines, I would say Thai is probably the best, followed by Japanese, although neither are particularly exceptional and definitely pale in comparison to this gem.

This is a soul kitchen, meaning that it has the ability to do what mashed potatoes, chicken, and ribs do for the American palate – comfort you. The flavors are bright rather than heavy, and they made me happy in a way that even a favorite mash might not be able to do.

For a party of four, we ordered three dishes to share. Dish descriptions are taken from their dinner menu (we ordered from the dinner menu in lieu of lunch to try these).

I am particularly impressed that the menu also teaches you how to pronounce the dishes properly. Big points here for a cultural and language lesson!

Lamb Massamun with Roti

(ma-sa-mun)

Australian lamb with potatoes in a hearty brown curry served with a crispy flat bread and a small cucumber salad.

BlueBootsGo thinks:

The crispy bread was delicious to soak in the curry. The lamb was soft and flavorful, and the cucumber salad had bright flavors to balance the curry. I kept coming back to this one and wanted more!

Isarn Noodles with Coconut Milk

(pad-mee-grati)

Stir fried rice vermicelli noodles, chives and bean sprouts served with a peanut, creamy coconut curry on the side with minced pork, onions and tofu. An Isarn classic.

BlueBootsGo thinks:

The mix of crunchy with creamy, earthy with nutty and paired with different textures of the proteins made every bite refreshing. Loved it.

One time, I watched a Food Network show and saw green papaya salad (usually really spicy!) was a Thai favorite. This was actually the first time I tried this incredible dish, and the long, thin green papaya pieces, combined with the bright acidity of the lime and pleasant heat made this also a winner for texture + flavors + color.